One of the Few
by Madame Batolli
Summary: Aeris is tired of searching for that someone. Cloud's doesn't know what he wants, but he'll know when he finds it. This is their story. AU
1. What If?

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII and I'm not making any money from this.  
  
  
  
Are You That Somebody?  
  
  
  
Chapter 1: What If? (CLOUD)  
  
  
  
What if? What if...?  
  
Life's full of 'what if's', isn't it? What if I did so and so, what if I said so and so, what if I'd bought so and so? What if.  
  
What if buying, doing, or saying so and so wouldn't have made any difference? What if people stopped dwelling on what if's, and just got on with their lives? Would that make things any easier?  
  
I don't know.  
  
But I do know one thing, and that is that, at some time or another, everyone thinks 'what if?' And I'm no exception.  
  
What if you'd never seen me before in your life? And you were a girl who'd never seen me before in your life. What if we met one day? What would you think of me? I'll tell you what you'd see, if you saw me. You'd see a young man, of average build, blonde hair, and blue eyes. I'm not arrogant, so I wouldn't say whether I'm attractive or not. That's up to you to decide.  
  
You'd probably notice my hair first. It's what I like to call 'unique', with spikes that you'd probably think either defy gravity, or have been carefully sculpted with a lot of hair gel. You'd probably by now be thinking that I'm someone who takes care of my appearance, and is obsessive about his hair. You'd be wrong. Well, you'd be wrong about the hair thing, anyway. Truth is, I'm not one of those guys who stands in front of the bathroom mirror preening for hours on end because...this...one..hair...will...not...spike...up! On the contrary, I stand there preening for a maximum of thirty seconds, put some gel on my hands, run it through my hair, and that's it.  
  
Back to the subject. Hopefully, by now you'd have decided I was attractive. Attractive enough to strike up a conversation with. I'd tell you about myself, how I was a member of SOLDIER, along with my best friend, Zack. I wouldn't tell you that he made First Class and I didn't. I'd listen to what you had to say, and I'd laugh at your jokes if you made any.  
  
If I liked you enough, I might take you out and buy you a drink. If I still liked you after that, I'd ask you out again sometime. If I really liked you, I'd hope you were thinking about inviting me back to your place, but I wouldn't be too put out if you didn't. I'd be vaguely impressed that you'd managed to stick to the 'no sex on a first date' rule. If I didn't like you, I'd take your number, tell you I'd call you. I wouldn't.  
  
I used to be different. I used have no confidence whatsoever, if a girl was staring at me I would automatically assume she was thinking: 'Oh my God, what a weirdo' or something like that. I think that all changed when I met my first love again.  
  
~~~~  
  
Relationship 1: The First Love  
  
I was about ten years old when I first met Tifa Lockheart. Tifa Lockheart had big brown eyes, and long, silky brown hair, and I remember, the first day I laid eyes on her, I ran inside and told my mom: "I'm gonna marry her!"  
  
It took me two years to gather enough courage to talk to her, but by then it was too late. She'd already got me pegged as an introverted loser who she had no time for. I used to stand outside her house, just staring up into her window, praying that just once, she'd come over and invite me in. But she never did.  
  
The day before I left my hometown, when I was fourteen, I decided that it was now or never. I called her out to the well in the square. And I waited. And waited. And just when I was about to give up, she came. We talked for a while, and I told her how I was going to join SOLDIER. It was only to impress her; I only did it for her. She asked me to make her a promise, that if she were in trouble, I'd come and rescue her. At first, I was too shocked to say anything. Me? She wanted me, Cloud Strife, to be her knight in shining armour? But anyway, I agreed, and we said our goodbyes.  
  
The next time I saw her, she was on the train platform at Midgar. I got off the train and just stared. After five years, she was there. Still the same old Tifa. Same hair, same eyes, same beautiful smile. But this time, she noticed me.  
  
Our relationship lasted almost two years. We did all the patented lovestruck couple activities, picnics, days out, Sunday mornings spent in cafes sipping coffee and gazing at each other over the rims of the cups. We spent Saturday nights in, watching videos and cuddling on the sofa.  
  
But, all good things must come to an end, and on Thursday the 20th of March, after three hours of tears and arguments and soul searching, we called it a day. I don't know exactly what had changed, but something definitely had. I suppose we realised that we weren't the same people any more, that we didn't work together anymore, like we used to do. So, I moved out of our apartment, and back into Zack's, and that was that.  
  
We still see each other from time to time, a smile or a nod of greeting directed across the street at one another, but never really more than that. I hear she's with someone else now, Vincent something or other. I hope she's happy with him. I really do. She deserves that much.  
  
~~~~  
  
It's late morning when I finally decide to open my eyes and get out of bed. While I get dressed and wash my face, I can hear Zack talking on the phone with someone, and I listen with mild interest as he proclaims that: "Je ne parle l'anglais." and puts the phone down. He glances at me as I walk into the kitchen, and catches my confused look.  
  
"Sarah." he says simply, with a roll of his eyes. I nod sympathetically and sit down at the table, taking some toast off his plate. Sarah Redwood is a girl of the obsessive possessive variety. She and Zack had a one night stand six months ago, and she's still calling to arrange a date. Women who don't get the message are always the worst kind.  
  
"So what are you up to today?" Zack asks, taking the last bit of his toast.  
  
"I don't know." I say thoughtfully. "I was thinking about going for a walk, maybe it'll clear my head, you know?"  
  
Last night was one of Zack's friend's birthdays. Cue lots and lots of alcohol consumption, leading to fuzzy memories and painful headache. No nausea this time though, thank God.  
  
"Yeah, good idea. It might help."  
  
I get up, heading for the door. The phone rings, and I pick it up. The woman on the other end says: "Is Zack there, it's Sarah." I deliberate whether Zack deserves this torture a second time, but eventually settle for saying: "Sorry love, I don't speak English." and putting the phone down again.  
  
Now, time for that walk.  
  
~~~~  
  
A/N: Hi everyone! What do you think of this story so far? I got the idea while reading a book called Come Together, where the chapters are him, her, him, her. So the next chapter will be from 'her' point of view. Can you guess who she will be? Knowing me, it should be easy enough. The pen name also helps too, hehe.  
  
As you probably have guessed by now, this will be a Cloud/Aeris story. Why? Because there simply aren't enough of 'em! And that's just not right, considering the extreme cuteness of the couple. And no, before you ask, this doesn't mean that Tifa fans can't read it. I personally, think the whole Aeris vs. Tifa thing is just plain stupid, so you will find no Tifa bashing here. Anyway, enough of my chatter. Hope you liked the story, and don't forget to review! 


	2. Suit Yourself

Chapter 2: Suit Yourself (AERIS)  
  
~~~~  
  
"Buy a flower, sir?" I asked hopefully, holding out my basket of blossoms for him to take a look at.  
  
"Oh, they look lovely." The girl at his side said with a smile. "How much?"  
  
"Um...the roses are 5 gil, the poppies are 3 gil, and - "  
  
"Are those snowdrops?" The man interrupted, pointing into the basket. I nodded, and he flashed me a smile.  
  
"The only place I've seen snowdrops is on the northern continent, when we stayed in Icicle Village last Christmas. I'll take them. How much?"  
  
"They would be two gil." I told him brightly. He fumbled in his jacket, finding the money, and handed me the crumpled bills.  
  
"Thank you!" I called after the couple as they headed off. The clock in the square chimed to signify it was half past eleven, and I sighed, sitting down on a bench and resting my elbows on my knees. I don't know why, but I had really begun to feel miserable. A group of students came out of the Midgar University across the square, laughing and talking with each other. I felt a pang of sadness. There they all were, working on their degrees, having fun, making new friends, finding new love, and here I was, a florist worker, no qualifications, no prospects, and no love.  
  
Not that I minded being a florist worker, in fact, I loved it, but it was the no love thing that really got me. All my life I've been searching for it, and all my life it's managed to slip out of my grasp. Seeing the smiling couples, cuddling, clinging to each other as they walk down the street pains me, because I've never experienced anything even close to what they have. They're so complacent, taking their love for granted, fighting over silly little things, while I yearn for the chance to have someone to fight over silly little things with. If they had ever felt how I do, I'm sure they'd put a lot more importance onto their relationship.  
  
I toyed with the stem of a poppy, letting another sad sigh escape my lips, and then rose from my seat, readjusting the basket of flowers and setting off again. I could see a group of youths sitting on the pavement a little way in front of me, and lowered my gaze. I didn't want any trouble with them, but they always managed to give me trouble.  
  
"Hey, Aeris!" one of them called. I turned my face away, quickening my pace, hoping to outrun them, but no such luck. The one who'd called my name was there in a flash, falling into step beside me.  
  
"I said hey! Were you ignoring me, sweetie?" he drawled.  
  
"Reno, leave me alone, please." I told him firmly. "I'm not in the mood today."  
  
"Come on, Aeris! It's not like you've got anything better to do." He persisted, and I ignored him, willing myself not to run, to just wait until he got bored. Thankfully, the Planet was smiling on me, as Reno dropped back, running his fingers through his shock of red hair and then shrugging.  
  
"Suit yourself."  
  
With a sigh of relief, I continued on my way, glancing around to see if there was anyone who might be interested in my flowers. My gaze locked with a pair of beautiful azure eyes, and I froze, almost forgetting to breathe as I took in the sight in front of me. A young man was standing a few feet away, gaze unwavering, blonde spikes rustling slightly in the warm breeze. He was gorgeous, the most handsome man I'd ever seen. And he was looking straight at me.  
  
Suddenly feeling embarrassed, I averted my eyes from his. He was probably staring at someone behind me anyway, and I didn't want to humiliate myself. But he was so gorgeous...  
  
What if he was looking at me? Could it really be possible? Had I finally found someone? Could he be what I'd been looking for all this time? Could I ever stop being such a romantic? ...And why was the ground rushing up to meet me?  
  
My eyes widened as I put my hands out in front of my to break my fall, and my basket of flowers crashed to the ground next to me, the delicate blossoms scattering across the street. Banging my chin on the pavement, I winced in pain, a soft 'Owww' escaping from my lips. I looked up, my face immediately turning a bright crimson as passers by smirked in amusement at my predicament, or just plain laughed at me. Didn't any of them have enough decency to ask if I was okay? Jeez, you'd think there'd be someone who'd show me an ounce of compassion. But, I guess not.  
  
"Hey, are you alright?"  
  
I looked up, and my blush deepened, if that was at all possible. The blonde stranger from earlier was kneeling in front of me, his eyes full of concern. Great, now not only was I the weird girl who'd been too busy daydreaming to look where she was going, but I was the damsel in distress now, too.  
  
"I - I'm fine." I told him shakily, trembling with embarrassment.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, I'm fine."  
  
I stood up, as though to prove my point, and my right leg promptly gave way. The stranger's arms caught me before I could fall, and for a second I just stayed there, not daring to look at him, but not wanting him to let go of me, either.  
  
"Fine, hmm?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, and I felt my stomach flutter as he smiled at me.  
  
"You've probably sprained your ankle." He told me. "My apartment's just over there, how about you come with me so I can fix it for you?"  
  
"Well, I...I'm sure I'll be okay by myself."  
  
"Stubborn, aren't we? Come on, let me help."  
  
Giving in, (which wasn't difficult with his eyes looking into mine) I nodded, and leaned on him for support, allowing him to lead me over to the apartment block.  
  
"So then, what's your name?" he asked.  
  
"Aeris. Aeris Gainsborough. You?"  
  
"Cloud Strife."  
  
I smiled at him.  
  
"Thanks for helping me, Cloud."  
  
Aeris Strife. It does have a slight ring to it, wouldn't you agree?  
  
~~~~~  
  
A/N: Well, I know that this chapter isn't so good, but I have writer's block (again) *sigh* I also know that I've changed it from first person present, to first person past, but I find past easier to write, so I'll probably change Cloud's chapter soon. Thanks for reading, and I hope you liked it, despite the lack of detail. Please review! I wish there were more CloAer fics around. One of my favourites is Angel Reborn by Strawberry, so go read it!  
  
What else? Oh, yeah, I now have a CloAer site! You can find the link in my profile. Go check it out and tell me what you think.  
  
Thanks to my reviewers:  
  
Lithium - Glad you liked it, hon! Thank you for the review!  
  
Christelle - Don't worry, I'll not make it too dark. Most of my ficcies are light hearted affairs anyway.  
  
Krystal Dolphin - Heya sugar! Thanks for reviewing! Love you CCS site by the way. *waits eagerly for the pic of CxA to appear in her inbox*  
  
Joanna - Thanks! I agree about the fight thing, I'm not really a Tifa fan, but you won't see any bashing of her in this fic.  
  
And that's all for the moment! Until next time, ja matta!  
  
Aerith 


	3. Speechless

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII and I'm not making any money from this.  
  
~~~~  
  
Chapter 3: Speechless (CLOUD)  
  
~~~~  
  
I glanced sideways at Aeris as we made our way upstairs to my apartment. She looked as though she was thinking about something, but I couldn't tell what. Every so often she'd wince in pain, I guess her ankle was giving her problems. She has the most engaging eyes, they're such a deep emerald sort of colour, and when she smiles, they sparkle in such a way that I wonder exactly how I haven't noticed her before. She told me that she's a flower seller, and she always works in the city centre. So why haven't I seen her before? I guess it's 'cause I'm always so concerned with myself.  
  
"Cloud, you're kinda quiet." She said softly, fixing her gaze on me. "Have I done something to irritate you?"  
  
"No, you haven't done anything, Aeris. I was just thinking." I slowed to a stop in front of the apartment door. "Well, this is it."  
  
When we got inside, the place was empty. Guess Zack must have gone someplace. Looking around, I noticed that the phone cord had been pulled out of the socket, and couldn't help but grin. Guess that's what happens when you have one night stands, eh Zack? Not like I was one to talk, really, but I was sorta a better judge of character than him. After all, here I was with Aeris, and who did he get? Sarah. Ha.  
  
Now, I know you're probably thinking that I shouldn't be so selfish, but you have to understand Zack. He's an awesome guy, I'll be the first one to tell you that, but the two of us are really quite competitive about a lot of things. And the fact that the girl I'm with isn't psycho, as far as I know, gives me one over on Zack, who usually has one over on me. No, not usually. All the damn time, in fact. So I hope you'll forgive me for feeling more than a little smug.  
  
"Okay Aeris, just sit down there and I'll get something to fix your ankle with."  
  
"Hey, spikes, are you talking to yourself again? I've told you, making up girlfriends for yourself does not bring your score any higher."  
  
Both me and Aeris jumped, turning in the direction of the voice, and Zack stepped out of his bedroom, rubbing at his hair with a towel and smiling at me. His eyes fell on Aeris, and he flashed her a charming grin. Figures.  
  
"Oh, hey, I didn't know anyone else was here. Not very often Cloud brings real girls back here, least of all ones as pretty as you."  
  
I rolled my eyes and began searching around in the kitchen cupboards for a bandage as Zack sat next to Aeris on the sofa.  
  
"Hey, I recognise you," he was saying. "You sell flowers, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, that's right!" Aeris exclaimed brightly. "I think you've bought some from me before."  
  
Zack smiled as I stood up, rolled up bandage in hand, pointed glare coming as standard.  
  
"Here, Cloud, let me do that." He said, holding his hand out for the bandage. My fingers tightened around it, and I walked around the other side of the sofa, kneeling down in front of Aeris and taking her injured foot. She winced a little as I removed her boot, and I sighed sympathetically at the sight of her swelled up ankle.  
  
"I guess that'll teach me to be staring at people instead of watching where I'm going." Aeris said with a soft giggle, and we shared a warm smile before Zack interrupted, gesturing to her foot.  
  
"You fell?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, Cloud's fault." she replied, flashing a smile in my direction to let me know she was joking.  
  
"You sure you don't want me to help?" he asked me, gesturing to the bandage again.  
  
"It's okay, I can do it." I told him, and then proceeded to do just that, with great dexterity I might add. I'd always paid more attention in First Aid than Zack had.  
  
Aeris raised her eyebrow, standing up to test out my bandaging skills.  
  
"Hmm, pretty good, Cloud." she smiled. "Thank you."  
  
"No problem." I stood up, and our eyes met. Did I mention she has the most amazing eyes?  
  
"...Uh, I guess you'll want to be going now?" I asked, and as soon as the words left my mouth, I was mentally kicking myself. Way to make her think you want her around, moron. Aeris didn't seem too offended though, and she smiled, folding her arms.  
  
"You want me to go?" she asked, clasping her hands behind her back and leaning forwards slightly to look at me.  
  
"No...no, that's not what I meant." I stammered, trying to tear my gaze from hers and failing miserably.  
  
Smooth, Cloud. Real smooth.  
  
But then again, I realised, I didn't actually want to tear my gaze from hers. I managed to glance at Zack out of the corner of my eye, and he was giving me a 'nice going, fool' look, which I promptly ignored.  
  
"I was just...well, um..."  
  
Think! Think, dammit!  
  
Luckily, Zack saved me from any further stammering and uncomfortable pauses by asking; "Where do you live, Aeris?"  
  
"Oh, it's not far from here." she answered. "In fact, I can probably get there by myself. Jessie's probably worried about me, so I really should be going."  
  
"Jessie?"  
  
"My roommate."  
  
Zack nodded, glancing at me, then back at Aeris, and then stepping forward slightly.  
  
"It's getting late. How about I come with you?"  
  
I raised my eyebrows, mouth dropping open in disbelief.  
  
"Zack - "  
  
"No need to thank me, Spikes." He interrupted. "Now, shouldn't you be getting ready to get some sleep? A SOLDIER First Class can't afford to be tired on a mission."  
  
"First Class?" Aeris asked, wide eyed. "Cloud's SOLDIER First Class?"  
  
"Oh, yeah." Zack said breezily. "There aren't that many people who make First Class, but Cloud made it easily."  
  
"You never said anything," Aeris said to me, clearly impressed.  
  
"He's too modest for his own good sometimes."  
  
I started to make a mental note to thank Zack later, but then he grinned at Aeris, offering his arm.  
  
"Well, I'd better get you home." He told her, and I mentally scribbled the mental note out and rewrote it to 'blank Zack later'.  
  
"Alright." Aeris nodded, then turned to me, smiling gratefully. "Thank you for your help, Cloud."  
  
I watched as they both left, leaning back on the chair with a sigh. I just couldn't believe Zack. Bastard.  
  
This annoyed train of thought brought me back to my morning musings. What if?  
  
What if Zack hadn't been there today? How differently would things have gone if it were just Aeris and I alone? Would things have turned out better or worse?  
  
Or what if Zack had been there, but he hadn't been working his Casanova routine? Would that have changed anything?  
  
Enough what if's, though. It's done now. I guess it's my own fault. If I were more charismatic, like Zack, then maybe Aeris would have wanted me, not Zack. He'd probably got a date with her by now. I couldn't exactly blame him, Aeris is beautiful. And we had only just met. Not as if I had the monopoly on her, right? And if she wanted Zack, then that was that. I'm defeatist, I know, but, you know what? Maybe Aeris was too good for me. But if she was too good for me, then she was most definitely too good for Zack,  
  
I guess I was being unfair, but there was something about Aeris, I really did like her. And knowing that she was walking home with Zack, and knowing Zack, I was feeling slightly annoyed to say the least.  
  
About an hour later, when Zack finally got back, I was fuming.  
  
As he shut the door, I stood up, about ready for violence, and opened my mouth, ready to launch into an angry verbal assault, when he held out two pizza boxes, asking, "Hey Cloud, you hungry?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"After I dropped Aeris off, I thought I'd get us something to eat." He explained, putting the boxes down and shrugging his jacket off. He gave me one glance and started laughing, as I stared at him with mixed feelings.  
  
"What's with that face?" he asked, grabbing a slice of pizza.  
  
"You and Aeris..." I began, and Zack looked as though he was suddenly remembering something, raising one finger and putting the box down.  
  
"Oh, yeah, almost forgot." He told me though a mouthful of pizza. "You're going out with Aeris on Friday night."  
  
I blinked, silenced.  
  
"She asked me to tell you." Zack grinned, winking at me, and grabbed the box one more, taking it with him over to the sofa and grabbing the remote, flipping through the channels as I just stared.  
  
Okay. Mental note. Don't blank Zack. Thank Zack. Well, thank him when you're no longer speechless.  
  
~~~~  
  
A/N: Finally! I'm sorry it took so long for the chapter, but hey, it's here now! So I hope you enjoyed reading, and tell me what you thought! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I'm really pleased you liked it so far! I hope this chapter isn't too much of a disappointment to you, m'dears! Big hugs to everyone! *smile* 


	4. I Think We're Getting Somewhere

Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII and I'm not making any money from this.   
  
Chapter 4: I Think We're Getting Somewhere (AERIS)   
  


*********

  
  
I didn't sleep at all last night. All I could think about was Cloud, and Zack, and what a stupid move it was to practically beg Zack to ask Cloud out for me. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have asked his to do it if I didn't want him to ask Cloud, but now I'm so worried that how he'll take it. Will he just think I'm joking? Will he think I'm too forward? What if he thinks I'm arrogant? I mean, I did say to tell him he was going out with me. No, 'please could you ask him if he'd like to.' I just had to jump straight in at the deep end and virtually force him to accept. But...what if he doesn't accept? What if Zack forgot to ask him? What if...?   
  
So, as I said, I didn't sleep a wink. Oh, I tossed and turned and counted sheep and all the usual stuff, but nothing seemed to work. In the end I just gave it up as a bad job and decided to do something useful. When Jessie got up this morning, she found me busying myself by tidying the kitchen cupboards and arranging everything in size order.   
  
"Couldn't sleep?" she asked with a yawn.   
  
"I guess I've got a lot on my mind." I replied wearily. "I thought I might as well tidy this place up."   
  
"A lot on your mind? Like that guy who brought you home yesterday?" I blinked, straightening up.   
  
"What?"   
  
Jessie smiled. "I swear, Aeris, you have all the luck. He seemed lovely. What's his name?"   
  
"Zack." I said with a sigh.   
  
"Aeris and Zack...." She muttered. "It's about time you found a guy, that's all I can say."   
  
"He's not a guy!" I said indignantly, and then corrected myself. "I mean, he is a guy, of course, but he's not _my_ guy."   
  
"Not yet."   
  
"No, it's not like that. Jessie. Zack's just a friend."   
  
With a friend who may at this very moment think I'm an arrogant, overconfident airhead.   
  
"Just a friend?" Jessie asked incredulously. "Aeris, what's the matter with you? You're always saying how you wish you could find someone, and here's a perfect guy right in front of you and you don't want him?"   
  
"Jessie, please." I sighed. "I've had no sleep, and I really need to get going. I'll expalain this later."   
  
"You'd better do." She grumbled. "And you'd better have a half decent explanation!"   
  
I ended up wandering around Midgar Square in a daze, thinking about how reckless this whole thing with Cloud was, and getting interrupted constantly by people who wanted to buy my flowers. Men who wanted roses for their girlfriends, women who wanted to add some cheer to their homes, children who wanted to give their mommy a gift. I always let them have theirs for free. I'm soft hearted like that.   
  
But if anyone had have asked me what the last person to buy flowers from me had looked like, I wouldn't have been able to tell them. I was so far into my own little world that I was almost unaware of things going on around me. I was still aware of Reno and his crew who were slouched nonchalantly on the benches, talking amongst themselves and glancing over at me every so often. Usually I'd have moved to a different area, but today, as you know, I really wasn't focused.   
  
I hadn't even thought about where Cloud and I would go on this date. I mean, Midgar isn't exactly the most romantic place. And the city's so busy, there'd be nowhere for us to go to be alone. Not to mention that I couldn't afford any of the places I thought would be nice for us to go. There was a play showing, one I'd heard of but hadn't ever seen, something called 'Loveless.' Supposedly, from what I'd heard, it was some sort of tragic romance story. One of those lost love tales. I wonder if I'll ever be able to see it? It's only show up in the theatres on the Plate. Everyone who's rich lives up there, so I guess that says a lot about how much the tickets for Loveless are likely to cost.   
  
My inner musings were interrupted as I knocked into someone, but since I really wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, I mumbled out an apology and carried on walking. I did feel a little guilty for being so impolite, but when I start on my thinking thing, I end up miles away. Jessie likes to tell me off about that. She says I daydream too much, but I can't help it, really.   
  
"Aeris?"   
  
I raised my eyes, slowing to a stop. It wasn't the shouting of my name that had got my attention, but rather, the voice. My heart started racing as I turned around in the direction of the voice, and then leapt as I recognised the owner of it. Cloud stood there, a handsome smile on his face, and I couldn't help but smile right back at him.   
  
"Cloud, what are you doing here?" I asked in surprise, my mind whirling. He _was_ smiling, which was a good thing, since that meant that he didn't thing I was an arrogant, overconfident airhead. But there was always the chance that Zack might not have said anything yet. I decided that it was best to keep quiet about it for now, wait and see if he said anything.   
  
"I was looking for you." he replied.   
  
I laughed softly as he reached me and fell into step beside me. His hair was all messed up, and I had to stop myself from reaching over and smoothing it down. It was going in all directions.   
  
"What for?"   
  
"Well, Zack mentioned something last night."   
  
"He did?"   
  
Cloud nodded, the smile still on his face.   
  
"Yeah, and so I thought I'd come and ask you exactly when you wanted me to pick you up Friday?"   
  
"How do you know I'm not gonna pick you up?" I asked innocently, and he laughed. He looked downright adorable when he laughed, his eyes sparkled and seemed to glow just that bit brighter. I guess that was partly due to his SOLDIER training, I'd heard people say that glowing eyes were a mark of those who belonged to Shinra's army. And Cloud was a First Class! He must be some soldier to manage that. From what Zack was telling me yesterday, that was true enough.   
  
"You don't want me to be a gentleman?" His eyes sparkled mischievously.   
  
I pretended to think about it.   
  
"Well, I suppose chivalry is always nice." We nodded at the same time, and Cloud grinned at me.   
  
"Then what time?"   
  
"Around eight-ish?"   
  
"It's always eight-ish." He said. "Someone should make it official. Then there'd be none of this arranging business."   
  
"Nine-ish then."   
  
He shook his head. "I think seven-ish."   
  
"What does 'ish' mean, anyway?" I asked as we walked on,   
  
"You know, I was gonna ask that same question. You think it's French?"   
  
"Maybe so. Everything else to do with dates usually is."   
  
"You think so?"   
  
We slipped into easy conversation after that, and I started to really look forward to Friday, and any other dates that would come after that. I hadn't known Cloud all that long, but I did know that there was something there. Something that I was looking for. And I hoped that Cloud was thinking the same thing.   
  


*********

  
  
A/N: It's been a long time since my last update. I'm really sorry it took so long, I've been so busy over the summer, what with exam results and job interviews and all, not to mention the lack of regular inspiration. Every time I sat down to write, I'd end up writing a chapter to one of my other fics! *laughs* But I finally managed to write this one. I didn't give up on it! ^^ We need more CxA fic around here, after all. Hope you enjoyed reading, and please tell me what you think of this chapter. Thanks for all the reviews too, I'm really grateful.   
  
P.S: I know that there's no such country as France in FFVII, but let's pretend there is. ^^   
  
Silver asked for a list of what's different in this story, so here you go!   
  
Vincent isn't a Turk here, because there are no Turks. Reno and the others are there; they're just not a part of Shinra. Not yet, at least. There's no materia, but there is Mako energy. Aeris is still an Ancient, but the Shinra don't know of The Promised Land. Also, Rufus is the President, rather than his father being there first and getting killed. Sephiroth - well, I don't know whether he's going to be in this fic. He might be, so don't count him out, but I write as I go along, so I haven't planned later chapters yet. Probably why it takes me so long to update! I can't think of anything else at the moment. I'll include more notes as I get ideas. ^^ 


	5. Reflecting

Chapter 5: Reflecting. (CLOUD)

  
  
After Aeris had excused herself so that she could head to her next flower selling spot, I started for home. Zack was out for the day, a mission had come up.   
  
"Nothing important, Spikes," he had said on his way out the door. He always usually used that as an excuse to leave after he'd had a one night stand, but since his bed was empty, I'd come to the conclusion that this time he was telling the truth. That meant the place was empty, leaving me some time to reflect. I smiled, thinking about Aeris, and the conversation we'd just had.   
  
I'd wanted to learn a little more about her, the places she'd been, the things she liked, and she'd sat us down on a bench in the square, and told me that she'd lived in Midgar for as long as she could remember. She'd never seen the outside world, never seen blue skies, sunshine, and never seen the sunrise over the ocean early in the morning. Of course, she'd seen them on television, watching documentaries on the wildlife around Mideel she'd seen pure sands and seafoam, but she'd never seen a real sunset with her own two eyes.   
  
She asked about me, and I told her about the places I'd seen during my time in SOLDIER, neglecting to mention, of course, that it was now over. The lazy town of Costa del Sol, where people relaxed on the sand, reading newspapers as the sun beat down on their skin, or propped up the bar in the pub, drinking the day away while the teenagers gossiped in the corner about the latest sports trends. The village of Gongaga, surrounded by jungle, where we'd been sent to clear up after a reactor explosion, and Wutai on the the westernmost continent, once at war with Shinra, now a resort town populated by tourists wanting a glimpse of Da-Chao, or to listen to legend of the Water God, or just to buy souvenirs in the Turtle's Paradise, a bar at the entrance of town.   
  
And Aeris had listened with wide eyes and a curiosity that was almost childlike, asking questions every so often and smiling as I answered her, or recounted a particularly humorous incident from our travels, usually something to do with Zack, he was always like that. I told her about how I'd sit by myself, when I needed some time to think, to be away from SOLDIER for a while, to just be Cloud for a few minutes. My favourite towns were on the coast, where I could watch the ocean for a while. Somehow it made me feel better, cleared my head.   
  
Aeris had said that her favourite place to go to think was a church in sector five. She told me that to be in such a place could calm her even when she was in the worst of moods. The tranquil air of the church cleared her mind, and she'd relax there for hours, tending to the flowers growing in the centre of the boarded floor, in front of the old pews. She looked like she wanted to say more, but the city clock chimed twelve, and she flashed me an apologetic smile before standing up, her flower basket in her arms, and telling me she really needed to be going.   
  
Sitting on the couch in front of the TV, I pondered where to take her on this date we'd arranged. Zack would probably know the perfect place, but this was something I wanted to think over myself. I wanted Aeris to enjoy herself, which wasn't likely if we just went to some bar in the slums. Besides, given the reputations of most of the bars here, we'd be lucky to be there five minutes before a brawl started.   
  
I found myself wondering exactly what Zack was up to right now. He'd been out of the door at seven thirty, and it was now twelve fifteen. If it were a mission outside Midgar, who knew when he'd be back? I could have been there with him though, I thought darkly, remembering how we'd trained for SOLDIER at around the same time. If only I'd have made it, perhaps things would be different.   
  
Right now, I was unemployed and lazing around the apartment all day while Zack earned our rent. Which didn't exactly make me feel too good about myself. My official title was 'mercenary' but there was little demand for me here in Midgar. Perhaps outside, but now wasn't a good time to leave, what with just getting to know Aeris and all. Anyway, if I'd have made First Class, I may have never met Aeris at all. So, I reasoned, that was one positive thing about being, to be blunt, a failure.   
  
The next day, Zack woke me way too early, slamming doors and loudly announcing his return. He'd been in Kalm, a small town east of Midgar, called out after wild creatures, enhanced by mako, began venturing into the village. After dispatching the 'monsters', he was on orders to stay there and calm the civilians. Zack had sighed, tugging at his hair, which looked as though it hadn't seen a comb in days, and muttered that he was tired of dealing with such small missions, and that he wanted something big to come along.   
  
"Zack," I said, glaring, "I'd hardly call monsters attacking civilians a 'small' matter."   
  
"Maybe so." he answered absently. "But still, I wish there'd be something a bit more serious."   
  
"Monster activity's been increasing for a while." I reminded him. "Maybe that mission was a taste of things to come."   
  
He nodded, and I stared past him, out of the window. The sky was a steely grey this morning, and the first drops of rain hit the glass as I watched. Last night had been quite cold, and I hoped that by Friday things would change. I had an idea of where to take Aeris, and the last thing I needed was the weather, of all things, to ruin it.   
  
~~~~   
  
A/N: It's been quite a while, eh? Sorry, but inspiration's been elusive for quite a while, so it took me a long time to get motivated. Thank you to all of you for your kind reviews, hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter. 


	6. Domesticity

**Note:** Had to change the title. It was cringe-worthy, therefore it went. In other news, wow, six months without an update. Wish I could say that was unusual for me, but I can't. ;) Thank you so much to those of you who left reviews for the last chapter, I hope you'll enjoy this one.  
  


Chapter 6: Domesticity (AERIS)

  
  
It hardly even registered with me when the city clock chimed five, I'd been selling flowers since twelve and I was just about ready to flop onto the nearest bench and possibly expire, but I realised that I'd never see Friday if I did that, so I adjusted the basket in my arms, feet aching, and looked to see how many flowers I had left.  
  
_None._  
  
The basket was completely empty, not even a stray petal remained in the bottom. Somehow, I'd managed to sell more flowers on auto-pilot than I ever do when I'm really concentrating. Having said that though, knowing me when I'm daydreaming, I probably just gave half of them away. I shook my jacket pocket, listening to the coins jangling, and eventually decided that there was probably enough there for tomorrow's grocery shopping. I'd have to head up to Wall Market early on - all the best food is usually gone by about nine, thanks to the people in sector six who rush there to scavenge all the prizes.  
  
Jessie's the one that usually does all the cooking so the groceries will be for her, she told me that she learned to do it after her parents died, orphaning her and her three younger siblings. She had no choice in the matter, as her sister and brothers were all younger than she was, so she had to step into the role of her mother. She came to Midgar when she was about twenty-one, when her brother took over looking after the family for her. That was when she met me, selling flowers near the train station in Sector Eight, and we've lived together ever since then. I was glad of the company, and Jess was too. Midgar is a frightening place when you're alone with nowhere to go. We're a pretty good team, though, now that I think about it; Jessie does the cooking and fixes faulty appliances (she likes anything like that), I wander around tidying things up and sorting out bills. We both work, Jessie was hired as a waitress in the Sector Seven bar recently, thanks to her boyfriend putting in a good word for her with the owner.  
  
I could hardly believe that five hours had flown by so quickly. After talking to Cloud, I started thinking about all the places he'd told me about; Costa del Sol, Gongaga, Wutai... I'd love to visit them someday. As someone who's never left Midgar, the world outside is so interesting to me. I'd love to visit the Gold Saucer (I saw an advert this morning and it looks like so much fun!) and watch the Chocobo Races, maybe watch a play and then try out those games in the Wonder Square. Or perhaps just stay at Costa del Sol for a night, listening to the waves. I wonder what they sound like?  
  
When I finally arrived home, after walking the long way around by accident because I was too busy thinking to notice where I was going, Jessie flung open the door, a huge smile on her face.  
  
"I didn't make _that_ much money." I joked as she grabbed my arm, dragging me inside.  
  
"I'm getting married!" she crowed, shoving her hand in my face and nearly poking my eye out. I laughed, taking her hand and pushing it back a little to study the jewellery. A chunky band adorned her finger, and as I studied it closer, I noticed that a message had been carved into the metal.  
  
"He made it himself." Jessie informed me happily as I squinted, trying to make out what had been engraved. "Melted down bottle caps from the bar."  
  
I gave up on trying to read it, coming to the conclusion that it was _something_ romantic, even if I wasn't sure what, and smiled at Jessie.  
  
"That's so sweet. Took him long enough, you've been dropping plate-sized hints for...oh, how long now?"  
  
She stuck her tongue out at me, admiring the ring.  
  
"Shut up, Aeris. He got there in the end."  
  
"So, how did he do it?" I asked excitedly.  
  
"Clumsily." she admitted with a smirk. "And he could have picked a more romantic place than outside the clothes store in Wall Market, but hey, it's the thought that counts."  
  
"Exactly." I replied. "And now every time you need a new sweater, you'll smile."  
  
"I will, won't I?" she said giddily. "I can't believe I'm getting married."  
  
"I can." I told her. "I knew he'd ask you soon!"  
  
"Yeah, but..." She suddenly lost her sparkle, lowering her eyes.  
  
"But what, Jess?"  
  
"We'll be moving in together this weekend."  
  
"Ah." I stared past her for a moment, eyes fixed on the refrigerator.  
  
"Will you be okay with that?" she asked, worried.  
  
"Hmm, well..."  
  
"Aeris?"  
  
"Well, I don't know..."  
  
I turned away, smiling inwardly as Jessie tried to get my attention again.  
  
"I...I won't go if you...if you don't want me to." she stammered, and I could hear the disappointment in her voice. "You think it's too soon?"  
  
"You want the truth?" I asked, trying my best to sound serious.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, the truth is this... You should stop worrying about me, and start packing!" I grinned, turning back to her and grabbing her in a big hug. I could hear her laughing into my shoulder with relief.  
  
"Aeris, you witch, you scared me half to death," she said, scowling. "But seriously, hon. Are you sure you'll be okay if I go? Who'll cook?" I hit her on the arm.  
  
"I will. And I'll get a cat, and learn how to program the video, and all sorts of grown up things. And you," I scolded. "will _stop_ worrying."  
  
"But the last time you tried to cook bacon we almost had to call the fire department." she said doubtfully, and I cringed, remembering that particular incident. I could have sworn I only took my eyes off the grill for a second, but the next thing I knew, the flat was filled with smoke and Jessie was screeching at me to get the fire extinguisher from the cupboard under the sink.  
  
"It was extra-flammable bacon." I said defensively.  
  
"Sure, Aeris, sure."  
  
"Anyway," I said brightly. "You still have until Friday to teach me. Problem solved."  
  
"Problem started." Jessie retorted, rolling her eyes. "Maybe you should stick with microwave meals."  
  
I shook my head. "No way, missy. You're the one going all domestic and getting married. Therefore, you're the perfect teacher. Now..." I trailed off, looking around the shelves for something that would be easy. "Teach me how to make something edible." 


End file.
